Pews

[woodbutcher453]

I don't make pews very often, but sometimes it's a challenge.

Most people think 'oh you can't bend pews..!' Wanna bet

These are all curved concentrically from the Altar. This means every row was a different radius. The back row being nearly straight, the front row a tight curve.

The longest one was 24' all the seats are scarfe jointed with worktop connectors to pull them together. I used a compass plane, router, PT and the biggest pair of compasses in Yorkshire..!

 

[2tone]

this is really nice work, Is it a newly built church? I've always wondered who got the church contracts -the only reason i tend to visit is to check out the wood work, that as well as the obligatory birth, marriage and death.

What denomination? it almost looks quite welcoming, Is the Vatican starting they're new re-branding campaign?

tony

 

[woodbutcher453]

Ahaaa Thank you for saying nice things

It is St.Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Bridgend.

I did a retirement home for CofE vicars, in Scarborough. If you saw this place you would change profession, it was like a hotel. Anyway, I was there snagging on the day before Christmas Eve. There was a long que of retired vicars that ran down the corridor. One at a time, they would patiently pop their head around the vestry door, nod approvingly and exclaim 'Jesus was a carpenter' then leave to make way for the next one, who would do the very same thing. It was difficult to leave there without smiling.

Church work is a fantastic niche and CERTAINLY worth looking into

Paul

 

[Max Power]

lovely work WB bet some of those old churches are cold to work in but at least youll have no worry about getting paid :lol:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Lovely work.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[OPJ]

Fantastic stuff - bet it was a nice little earner, too! :wink:

Have you done any other woodwork in this church - like the doors, perhaps?

 

[2tone]

believe it or not, i'm actually working in an 18th century nunnery at the moment. It has just been released on the open market and i've got the joinery contract. Was totally stark before, almost nothing in it, really basic.

So i'm guessing the French nuns life isn't quite as luxurious as an English vicar's.

the client is a bit of a pain and he's as tight as a nun's C#~nt.

how did you get to tender for that or did they approach you.....
"all submisions, care of (new)pope, the vatican, vatican city"

i've started adding photo's on here if you fancy a look.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/wip- ... 44576.html

tony

 

[woodbutcher453]

@tony

Looks good... I'm not comfortable working with softwood with knots in, but I'm a snob..!

It's a shame that you're in France. I could farm some making out to you. Can you recommend anyone in the north of England?

Paul

 

[2tone]

unfortunatly "knot" all the guys i know oop north all work for firms and all the good guys that work for me live in kent and bristol.

I shouldn't think it hard to find workers these days. especially quality work like that.

tony

 

[shim20]

super work there

 

[jeffinfrance]

that is lovely work. i love the concentric radii.

i've got a quote outstanding from over a year back to replace all the pews for one of our local churches. they still havn't made the descision.

met the vicar whilst arranging my wedding last spring. he showed me the glossy catalogue from the company he already had a (very large) quote from and they looked like park benches.....horrible. seems there are firms that specialise in this, but nothing in their catalogue was as as good as yours.

this reminds me, i must chase it up.

jeff

 

[woodbutcher453]

@Jeff

GO FOR IT, if you need any tips... just ask

Paul

 

[big soft moose]

@tony

Looks good... I'm not comfortable working with softwood with knots in, but I'm a snob..!

It's a shame that you're in France. I could farm some making out to you. Can you recommend anyone in the north of England?

Paul

Matty and JonnyD are both in what could be loosely termed the north - Matty is in leeds and I think Jonny is in Lincs tho I could be wrong about that.

Also Karl is in cheshire , and Brad Naylor (whos real name is duncan) is in greater manchester

I dunno whether any of them would be interested in making for you but all their work is spot on as you can see from the forum.

Theres probably others as well but those four are the ones wot spring to mind